Turkic peoples

Turkic peoples are Northern and Central Eurasian peoples who speak languages belonging to the Turkic family of languages and which share in varying degrees, ethnic, cultural and historical traits. Even though many consider this term to be distinct from the term Turkish, growing use of term Turkish opposed to Turkic has been noted in the Turkish/Turkic world. Turkic languages belong to the Altaic language group and is one of the most geographically widespread in the world, spoken in a geography spanning from Europe to Siberia.

Geographical distribution and ethnic division

The distribution of peoples of Turkic cultural background ranges from Siberia where the Yakut reside, across Central Asia, to Eastern Europe. Presently, the largest groups of Turkic people live throughout Central Asia -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, in addition to Turkey. Additionally, Turkic peoples are found within Crimea, the Xinjiang region of western China, northern Iraq, Iran, Israel, Russia, Afghanistan, Cyprus, the Balkans Moldova, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and former Yugoslavia. A small number of Turkic people also live in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

Related Topics:
Siberia - Yakut - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Azerbaijan - Turkey - Crimea - Xinjiang - China - Iraq - Iran - Israel - Russia - Afghanistan - Cyprus - Balkans - Moldova - Greece - Bulgaria - Romania - Yugoslavia - Vilnius - Lithuania

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An exact line between the different Turkic peoples cannot easily be drawn. The following is a non-comprehensive list of the major groups:

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• Azeri Turks
• Balkar Turks
• Bashkir Turks (note that there is only a dialect difference between Bashkir and Tatar Turkish)
• Chulym Turks
• Chuvash Turks
• Crimean Tatars/Crimean Turks
• Gagauz Turks
• Karachay Turks
• Karakalpak Turks
• Karapapak Turks
• Kazakh Turks
• Khakas Turks
• Kirghiz Turks
• Kumyk Turks
• Noghai Turks
• Tatar Turks
• Turkmens
• Turks of Turkey
• Turkish Cypriots
• Tuvan Turks
• Urum Turks
• Uyghur Turks
• Uzbek Turks
• Yakut Turks

Some divide the above into six branches: the Oghuz, Kipchak, Karluk, Siberian, Chuvash, and Sakha/Yakut branches. The Oghuz have been termed Western Turks, while the remaining five, in such a classificatory scheme, are called Eastern Turks.

Related Topics:
Oghuz - Kipchak - Karluk - Siberian - Chuvash - Yakut

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One of the major difficulties perceived by many who try to classify the various Turkic languages and dialects, is the impact Soviet, and particularly Stalinist nationality policies -- the creation of new national demarcations, suppression of languages and writing scripts, and mass deportations -- had on the ethnic mix in previously multicultural regions like Khiva/Khwarezmia, the Fergana valley and Caucasia. Many of the above-mentioned classifications are therefore by no means universally accepted, either in detail or in general. Another aspect often debated is the influence of Pan-Turkism, and the emerging nationalism in the newly independent Central Asian republics, on the perception of ethnic divisions.

Related Topics:
Soviet - Stalin - Khiva - Khwarezmia - Fergana valley - Caucasia - Pan-Turkism - Nationalism

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